ipv6 dns query on MacOS X 10.3

[Jim Reid]

>>>>> "pui" == pui ming Wong <s11976 at net2.hkbu.edu.hk> writes:

    pui> I have set up a ipv6 dns server.  Now want to use the Mac
    pui> client to see if DNS queries could be obtained from the
    pui> server.  In ipv4, normally the dns server have to be given
    pui> manually (or via the dhcp/bootp server) But on Mac , the ipv6
    pui> config is automatic.  Does it mean it will know automagically
    pui> which ipv6 dns server is out on the same network to help the
    pui> name queries?  In other words, there is no way (like in ipv4)
    pui> that i could specify the dns server for this Apple ?

Configuring the resolver is tends to be a manual exercise. Somebody or
something edits /etc/resolv.conf. However if you're using DHCP, the
client normally gets the DNS settings for the local network from the
DHCP server. The client then writes this to /etc/resolv.conf.

If you put the IPv6 address of your name server on your Mac's
/etc/resolv.conf, it will just work. For MacOSX, you could probably
add or change the DNS settings through the Network menus in System
Preferences. Just put in an IPv6 address in the usual notation and
that should just work too.

In fact that might be a better choice. Sysadmin in MacOSX is weird,
especially if you have a laptop that changes locations. Each location
gets its own set of configuration files and settings. [Where these get
hidden when not in use is one of the great mysteries of MacOSX.] So if
you manually change /etc/resolv.conf that change could get lost the
next time your Mac changes location.

FWIW, I inserted "nameserver ::1" into resolv.conf and did a lookup.
It worked fine:

# dig . soa

; <<>> DiG 9.3.1 <<>> . soa
;; global options:  printcmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 29938
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 1, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 0

;; QUESTION SECTION:
;.                              IN      SOA

;; ANSWER SECTION:
.                       85497   IN      SOA
A.ROOT-SERVERS.NET. NSTLD.VERISIGN-GRS.COM. 2005032800 1800 900 604800
86400

;; Query time: 1 msec
;; SERVER: ::1#53(::1)
;; WHEN: Mon Mar 28 21:18:05 2005
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 92

Note that dig used the IPv6 loopback address to query the name server
that was running on my Mac laptop.